my cages!!

[chelsii]

these are my cages. the girl at the pet store recomended them to us both times when we got the hamsters (actually i bought one girl hamster but she had babies) and when we got the gunieas. what do you guys think?

[Die Fledermaus]

Please try to reduce the size, if you can, of the photos which causes a lot of overrun off the page. How? Here is one option: Go to Picturetrail.com.
Here: www.picturetrail.com/webpages/editor/product.shtml

Download the free editor. Go to Image/Resize when you open an image.

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I once rescued two big Syrians, Cocoa and Malu, crammed into that same size Coast cage; worse, they were on cedar!! I think it might have been even smaller than yours, which is OK for dwarfs. They might like a wooden house though, but then they might fight over it! Mine do. But they would appreciate a place to hide, even a cardboard box of some type.

The story of Cocoa and Malu is posted, from several years ago. and they are in my Memorial Gallery in my signature.

I see you have a marijuana magazine on the other cage!

Don't believe or disbelief what people at pet stores say unless you know them fairly well. I personally think that Coast Cage would be OK for two dwarfs, not four. We want to be sure there are no fights - if you look at some recent posts there were some disasters owing to fights (see "Something Snapped").

The other cage is far too small for two GPs. Minimum should be about 40 inches long, by 18 wide and maybe 20 high. Each should have a plastic GP house - either one big one for two, or one smaller one for each. They need a place to hide when they have found their forever homes. Otherwise they get nervous and unhappy.

Plus, I include a big Chube tube for them to run through, and some chew toys and stuff hanging down from the bars. Ideally, they should also get some safe and supervised "out" time to run around. There are GP "gates" for that purpose. Of course, put down newspaper for poops!

Two of mine, as I said, are living alone in the 40x18x20 cages, which are made by SuperPet and can be found online.

Let us know how things go.

[Hamsters82]

Those are nice cages for your animals. I hope you don't mind your hamsters biting on those bars, hehe. Your GP cages are nice.

[Die Fledermaus]

Let me emphasize that that GP cage is likely too small for even a single GP. And four dwarfs are too many in that Coast Cage.

I will post a photo of Ophelia's place later tonight.

[Die Fledermaus]

OK, here is Ophelia's habitat. She is mostly sort of white and at the top.

This cage is likely 37 inches long, not the recommended 40 I mentioned above. But as Jessica passed away leaving only one piggie I did not think it important to get a bigger one.

When she lived with the late Jessica there were two houses in there and the Chube tube was only occasionally put in; now, it stays. She has plenty of room, and gets a little mix, some hay, and greens, daily.

[chelsii]

oops sorry, i didn't know how to resize them. i will do that in the future. lol that marijuana thingy is because my parents think my older brother is addicted to it and he thought it would be funny for the picture. thanks for the tips. i didn't know what gps liked. i will try to find a box for the hamsters too. so far they pile in the corner lol. my mom said that i'm not allowed to get new cages for them so i don't know what to do now. i feel bad that there cages are too small. by the way what's good food for them? i just have regular guniea pig pellets from the pet store. my mom said the hamsters can eat them too so that's what they have right now. is that okay?

[Die Fledermaus]

Thanks very much for resizing in the future. It is quite easy. Just open the photo using the editor I mentioned, resize it, and then save it with the same or different name. And then post the URL of that image to the board. You can see the problems with photos that are too big - we have to
scroll to read.

Rodents like places to hide, and room to explore. It is unhealthy for a GP not to be able to get some exercise - it can cause issues with their digestive tract. It also makes them unhappy.

I make mistakes sometimes. Last night I gave my rats lots of paper towels for their big tall multi-level cage, and they love it as soft bedding to sleep on! I should have done that long ago.

Even with the bigger cage I mentioned, the GPs need some time to run around in a confined area (covered with newspapers!) at least every other day. They also need GP houses (as you see in my Ophelia photo) to feel safe in when they get scared. How would you like it if you were scared or nervous, or just wanted to be alone, and you had no place to go and people were looking at you?! ;D

The dwarfs need some kind of house, too. And a little more room. But they are not as crowded as the poor GPs. You can always keep two in the Coast cage and move two to a ten gallon tank, or move all four to a fifteen gallon (a 20 is better). A fifteen can work with enough toys and tubes and stuff to climb up on like ramps. Dwarfs do like to pee in tubes, though!

I would not use GP pellets as a permanent food for hamsters, especially not dwarf hamsters (owing in part to the size of the pellets). It might work temporarily, but let me check on the ingredients first and I will get back to you later. asap.

So, do you have names for your critters?

And please give the GPs some running around time; that cage is really bad especially for two. The bathroom would be a good place with the door closed. If you just put them on the floor in the light they may be too scared to move at first.

back soon. . .

[Die Fledermaus]

>>http://www.hartz.com/Small_Animals/Health_and_Nutrition/Nutrition/foods_your_small_animal_should_avoid.aspx<<

A very useful food link!

>> Foods Your Small Animal Should Avoid

Each small animal has a diet unique to it's species.

Vitamin C: guinea pigs need a lot of it, but in its citrus form it is bad for hamsters. Dairy products are OK for some small animals, but not for others. The alphabetical list below presents most foods that all small animals should avoid. When a food is particularly hazardous to a species, it is noted.
The snack black list
o Alcohol: Toxicity depends on amounts but alcohol can cause death in excess.
o Avocado: Leaves, fruit, seeds and bark contain a toxin known as Persin. Rabbits and mice are particularly vulnerable.
o Caffeine: Can cause heart failure in pets.
o Citrus: Hamsters must avoid high acid foods such as citrus or anything pickled or vinegar based. These foods cause gastro-intestinal upset.
o Chocolate: Contains a chemical called theobromine which is an alkaloid that most pets can't metabolize quickly. The theobromine can build up and reach a toxic level of concentration, leading to cardiac arrest.
o Dairy: Guinea pigs and ferrets are naturally lactose intolerant so feeding them dairy can cause severe problems.
o Green bananas: Inhibit starch digestion.
o Iceberg lettuce: Can cause calcium absorption problems in rabbits and is hard on the hamster's liver when fed in excess.
o Licorice: Causes neurological poisoning in rats.
o Nuts and Rawhide: Cannot be digested by ferrets. They will cause an intestinal blockage.
o Onions and garlic: Contain sulfoxides and disulfides which cause anemia.
o Orange juice: Contains d-limonene which can cause kidney cancer in male rats.
o Potatoes and tomatoes: Plants, leaves and stems, contain a poison called solanine which causes severe gastrointestinal problems.
o Raw artichokes, red cabbage and Brussels sprouts: Cause problems with nutrient absorption.
o Raw sweet potato: Can form cyanide in the stomach.
o Rhubarb: Contains oxalates which negatively affect your pet's urinary, digestive and nervous systems.
o Sticky foods: Any sort of sticky food that can get stuck in a Hamster's pouch should be avoided.
o Uncooked beans: Attack much needed vitamin A and can cause red blood cell clumping.
o Yeast dough: Can expand in the stomach and cause rupturing. Never feed yeast dough to any pet. <<


We also surely have threads up on RR about food.

We long ago decided hay or alfalfa for any hamster should be avoid as they pouch the food and that can possibly cause a mouth puncture causing infection.

Rabbits and guinea pigs need at least a BIG handful of hay daily for each animal.

Hamster likely will not guinea pig pellets.

Guinea Pigs:
* Give fresh water daily.
* Replace any water bottle that leaks and replace any wet bedding as soon as you spot these problems.
* If your piggies eat a lot of fresh veggies/fruit, they will drink less, but if they only have dry pellets and hay, then fresh water is doubly important.

Pellets are the least important thing in a guinea pigs diet, but should be fed 1 cup a day.

*Hay. Piggies love hay, and need it 24/7: they eat it, play in it, and sleep in it. Alfalfa hay can be given to pigs 6 months or younger, but contains too much calcium for older pigs and can contribute to disease. Timothy hay is very good. Other types of hay include meadow hay, oat hay, and orchard grass. Alternating hays may help prevent boredom. Alfalfa hay may be given as a treat once a month for protein maintenance.

* Vitamin C. Guinea pigs are one of the very few mammals (along with humans) who can't make their own vitamin C, so they need to get it from their food. Guinea Pigs are highly prone to getting scurvy, which is a disease caused by low levels of Vitamin C. Guinea pigs need 20 MG or more of Vitamin C daily.:

Fruits and Vegetables. Some are very high in vitamin C; Others are handy treats. What to try:

* Oranges - Only feed once a week, it can lead to mouth sores. Try giving them a slice or two. They eat the orange and leave the peel.
* Carrots - feed one pinky sized baby carrot per pig per day.
* Cucumber - has little nutritional value but is a great summer treat, can be fed every other day.
* Lettuce - DO NOT feed iceberg lettuce as it is high in nitrates, little nutritional value, and is almost all water.
* Tomatoes - one cherry or two grape tomatoes are fine per pig per day.
* Broccoli or cauliflower - small quantities only, as this can make them gassy.
* Cabbage - small quantities only, as this can make them gassy.
* Spinach - sparingly as the amount of calcium is too high.
* Cilantro and Parsley
* Green/Red/Yellow/Orange bell peppers
* Citrus fruits in low quantities, because the acid can lead to mouth sores.

I also serve mine chicory and greenleaf. I also give them SMALL amounts of peeled banana and little hunks of carrot (not too much!).

* Feed fruit in small quantities. Not only does fruit have a high sugar content, but it may also have a low Ca:P ratio, which could lead to bladder problems.
* Some guinea pigs get tired of having the same fruit or vegetable day after day, so vary their diet. There are some things are always eaten with vigor, though. The more the variety, the happier the pig!
* Guinea pigs are like people, and each have their own food preferences. If you have multiple pigs, be sure to provide even more of their favorites, and if they consistently leave a certain food, they probably don't like it. However, don't be discouraged; sometimes they need to figure out that it is tasty first, and it may take a few tries. This is especially true if they are young or if you have just acquired them from a laboratory or pet store (who usually only provide one type of food); they may not have a diverse palate quite yet.

Feeding GP pellets to a hamster? It should not be hazardous in the short term, but is a poor diet indeed as it is not designed for hamsters in terms of nutrition or taste. Why would you want to? Go get some hamster food, and use the GP food for the GP's.

By the way, some green for hamsters is good too, such as chicory.

[Andrea]

Just posting about this topic, and a Pet Peeve of mine.

Parent let's child get pet (most likely on whim), Child is excited about new pet, wants to learn more, starts researching and find out things have to change (Diet, health, habitat etc.) they tell parents what they have learned and Parents say No.

kids fault? Not the way i see it. Kid wants to do what they can for the critter they love, but they are kids, live at home have to follow the 'rules of the house' and don't have their own money, for new accessories or even vet care.

This is why I do not believe children should have pets (Sorry kids), as it's the parents who need to be the supporter of the animal... and how'd if the kid no longer is interested in the pet? Again parents have to clean/feed etc.

With that said, i researched hamsters when i was 12. I had a list of what it costs for them, their houseing, food, toys etc. and what it would cost a month to keep one. After months of this (and begging) I finally was able to get my fist Hamster (Who we picked b/c he peed on my Mom in the store). I had a paper route so I would buy special toys and such for him myself, while my family bought bedding and food.
When my Hamster had a tumor and finaly had to be PTS, I took him on the bus, and paid for it myself, as my family had other 'ideas' how to 'put him out of his misary' ...

[Die Fledermaus]

Just remembered, I need to post the above food info in a separate thread. Remind me later!

Very responsible of you, Andrea. I hope you can find a way to outreach to youngsters, and adults, about your good values.

It depends on the kid, and the age. But parents are often irresponsible - and thus a bad example for the kid.

[Andrea]

<<It depends on the kid, and the age. But parents are often irresponsible - and thus a bad example for the kid.>>
Absolutly. I feel i was sort of a exception for kids w/ pets, but I know others who are to. I just wish parents would be better examples